Toyota reveals electric C-HR

Toyota has revealed its first fully-electric passenger car.

The Japanese brand has unveiled a battery-powered version of the C-HR city SUV at the Shanghai motor show.

While it is intended to be available exclusively in China from the outset, launching in 2020, it is the first of 10 battery-electric vehicles under development by Toyota, which plans to sell more than 5.5 million EVs around the world each year by the end of the next decade.

Toyota has yet to release full details of the electric C-HR, but a promotional video on YouTube shows it has a battery pack mounted in the floor of the chassis that powers an electric motor under the bonnet that drives the front wheels only.

Visiually, the C-HR can be idenitified as the electric version with a panel in place of the conventional car's front grille, more aerodynamic-designed alloy wheels and 'Electric' badges on the nose and flanks.

The C-HR electric will be built in China by Toyota's joint venture manufacturing partner, FWA.

While it will remain exclusive to China, the concept of battery-powered vehicles is definitely in the future plans for Toyota Australia - along with further developments in hybrid, plug-in hybrid and hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles.

"It's not something that is on our radar for right now," Toyota spokesperson, Orlando Rodriguez, told Drive.

"We'd have to make sure it made sense for our market before making any further commitments to battery-electric cars. At the moment, we believe hybrid is the best solution for the Australian market right now with noriceable benefits in economy and without the need for additional infrastructure.

"When electric-vehicle infrastructure becomes more widespread, of course battery-electric vehicles will form part of our line-up. But there is not one magic bullet that suits all demands for the market, so we will also continue to evaluate fuel cell and build on our heritage with hybrid technology."

Alongside the electric C-HR, Toyota also revealed a plug-in hybrid Corolla sedan and a quirky concept car called Rhombus - the first product to be designed under Toyota's new Chinese research and development division.

It hasn't outlined many details of the concept, but an overhead image shows the four-seat commuter features an unusual layout with a central driving position flanked by two outboard seats and a single rear seat in a diamond pattern.